Comparison of body composition techniques before and after a 161-km ultramarathon using DXA, BIS and BIA.

The low cost, ease of application and portability of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and spectroscopy (BIS) devices make them attractive tools for measuring acute changes in body composition before and after exercise, despite potential limitations from active compartmental fluid shifts. The primary study aim was to evaluate use of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) against BIA and BIS in measurements of percent body fat (%BF) and percent total body water (%TBW) before and after prolonged endurance exercise. 10 runners were measured pre-race and at race finish. Significant linear relationships were noted pre-race between DXA vs. BIS for %BF (r(2)=0.76; p<0.01) and %TBW (r(2)=0.74; p<0.01). Significant correlations were noted at race finish between DXA vs. BIS for %BF (r(2)=0.64; p<0.01) and %TBW (r(2)=0.66; p<0.05), but only when one outlier was removed. Limits of agreement (LOA) between DXA vs. BIS were wide for both %BF (mean difference of -3.6, LOA between 5.4 and -12.6) and %TBW (mean difference 2.4, LOA between 0.4 and -4.6). LOA was closer between the DXA vs. BIA with DXA measuring slightly higher than BIA for %BF (mean difference of 0.5, LOA between 2.1 and -3.1) and slightly lower than BIA for %TBW (mean difference 0.3, LOA between 3.3 and -2.7). Linear correlations between DXA vs. BIA were not statistically significant for %BF or %TBW before or after the race. DXA measurement of acute changes in %BF and %TBW are not congruent with BIA or BIS measurements. These 3 techniques should not be utilized interchangeably after prolonged endurance running.

Bone: an acute buffer of plasma sodium during exhaustive exercise?

Both hyponatremia and osteopenia separately have been well documented in endurance athletes. Although bone has been shown to act as a "sodium reservoir" to buffer severe plasma sodium derangements in animals, recent data have suggested a similar function in humans. We aimed to explore if acute changes in bone mineral content were associated with changes in plasma sodium concentration in runners participating in a 161 km mountain footrace. Eighteen runners were recruited. Runners were tested immediately pre- and post-race for the following main outcome measures: bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA); plasma sodium concentration ([Na+]p), plasma arginine vasopressin ([AVP]p), serum aldosterone concentration ([aldosterone]s), and total sodium intake. Six subjects finished the race in a mean time of 27.0±2.3 h. All subjects started and finished the race with [Na+]p within the normal range (137.7±2.3 and 136.7±1.6 mEq/l, pre- and post-race, respectively). Positive correlations were noted between change (Δ; post-race minus pre-race) in total BMC (grams) and [Na+]p (mEq/l) (r=0.99; p<0.0001), and between total sodium intake (mEq/kg) and %Δ lumbar spine BMD (r=0.94; p<0.001). Change in [aldosterone]s was positively correlated with: rate of total sodium intake (r=0.84; p<0.05); Δ total BMC (r=0.82; p<0.05); and Δ [Na+]p (r=0.88; p<0.05). No significant pre- to post-race mean differences were noted in BMC or BMD. Robust associations between Δ BMC and Δ [Na+]p suggest that sodium status and bone density may be inter-related during endurance exercise and should be considered in future investigations of athletic osteopenia.

Hormonal responses to a 160-km race across frozen Alaska.

BACKGROUND: Severe physical and environmental stress seems to have a suppressive effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in men. Examining hormonal responses to an extreme 160-km competition across frozen Alaska provides a unique opportunity to study this intense stress. OBJECTIVE: To examine hormonal responses to an ultra-endurance race. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 16 men before and after racing and analyzed for testosterone, interleukin-6 (IL-6), growth hormone (GH) and cortisol. Six subjects (mean (SD) age 42 (7) years; body mass 78.9 (7.1) kg; height 1.78 (0.05) m raced by bicycle (cyclists) and 10 subjects (age 35 (9) years; body mass 77.9 (10.6) kg; height, 1.82 (0.05) m) raced by foot (runners). Mean (SD) finish times were 21.83 (6.27) and 33.98 (6.12) h, respectively. RESULTS: In cyclists there were significant (p< or =0.05) mean (SD) pre-race to post-race increases in cortisol (254.83 (135.26) to 535.99 (232.22) nmol/l), GH (0.12 (0.23) to 3.21 (3.33) microg/ml) and IL-6 (2.36 (0.42) to 10.15 (3.28) pg/ml), and a significant decrease in testosterone (13.81 (3.19) to 5.59 (3.74) nmol/l). Similarly, in runners there were significant pre-race to post-race increases in cortisol (142.09 (50.74) to 452.21 (163.40) ng/ml), GH (0.12 (0.23) to 3.21 (3.33) microg/ml) and IL-6 (2.42 (0.68) to 12.25 (1.78) pg/ml), and a significant decrease in testosterone (12.32 (4.47) to 6.96 (3.19) nmol/l). There were no significant differences in the hormonal levels between cyclists and runners (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a suppression of the hypopituitary-gonadal axis potentially mediated by amplification of adrenal stress responses to such an ultra-endurance race in environmentally stressful conditions.

In vitro analysis of rat surfactant protein A gene expression.

Previous findings suggest that the rat proximal promoter segment (rPPS) of the SP-A gene is important in the regulation of the lung-specific expression of the gene. In this report, two regions within the rPPS containing thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) binding sites are identified that form strong lung- and thyroid- specific DNA-protein complexes. These regions bind nuclear polypeptides with similar apparent molecular mass to TTF-1, suggesting that TTF-1 binds to these regions. Two regions within the rPPS that form weaker lung-specific DNA-protein complexes are also identified. The transcription start site is mapped, and a functional analysis shows that the sequences of the 5' flanking region are sufficient to support in vitro transcription but are not sufficient to reproduce tissue-specific expression. Together, these results show that lung- and thyroid-specific, as well as lung-specific, DNA-protein interactions occur within the rPPS but are not sufficient for the lung-specific expression of the rat SP-A gene to be duplicated in vitro.